An image reading apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-86817 is well-known in the art. The conventional image reading apparatus includes a reading unit such as a CIS for reading a document, a conveyance unit for conveying a document to the reading unit, a carriage for moving the reading unit, a single motor for driving the moving unit and the conveyance unit, and a switching gear serving as a transmission unit for transmitting drive power of the motor. The switching gear switches its position between a conveyance position at which the transmission unit transmits the power to the conveyance unit and a carriage position at which the transmission unit transmits the power to the moving unit, whereby the conveyance unit and the moving unit can be driven by a single motor.